Wednesday, January 23, 2008

So I posted on a Wednesday. Sue me. Mind you there are many things about this particular anime that I have a distaste for. Because of that I'm also giving out a lot of spoilers on plot to be nit-picky about specific parts that particularly vex me. Don't ask me where the HELL Rider came from. It's knight. Perhaps the US branch was referring to Fate/Stay Night or something, whatever.

This is really the continuation or second season of Zero no Tsuakaima, and that and I'd like to add I HATE IT. Also, bear with me as I take none of the manga into account and only rate the anime as is.Will I be doing that back-seat directing kinda like those football fans who scream and converse with other football fans about player deals, trades and team management? Yes.WIll I be as annoying as those football fans who scream and converse with other football fans about player deals, trades and team management? Yes.

This may end up being more of a rant than a review so bear with me.

So, like I said before, Futatsuki no Kishi is the continuation of the first season. So gander at the first paragraph or so of the first season to get a basic gist of the back story. Now then, onto the slaughter.

I was looking over at the production cast to see as to answer the question of "How is it possible to like one season and hate the next one?" Tada! Directors and Series Composition managers were changed. This probably explains the drastic differences in character for... everyone.

First, you have Saito, who I liked, a decent character in the first season. His character needed some tweaking, but only to make him less like a generic reluctant hero. He turns into a complete lecher and doesn't hold back his unexpected perverseness whatsoever. It looks ridiculous, this guy who looked really nice with the good supporting cast, does a complete 180 in intelligence and my respect for his is shot down faster than a blackbird flying head on into the ground at full speed.

What's even worse is Louise's character also does a 180. Forget that her character becomes more developed and starts to appreciate Saito after learning he isn't going back to his homeworld. Forget that she knows Saito likes her. Throw all of that development out the window, Now. From now on, she's now going to be an over-controlling, overly jealous type like how she was near the beginning. And we're also gonna add a bit of arrogant spunk to her(as if she didn't have it already).

What about Siesta? That black haired maid that Saito realized was actually Japanese and not from the magic world? One of my favorite secondary characters is smashed to pieces as she attempts to win Saito's undivided attention in obsessing over her feminine qualities. What? Don't care about her views and her take on the story as a peasant amongst nobles? SURE!~ Toss all her common sense out of the window and make her an airhead with a dependency complex? SURE!~ Add tons and tons of fan service to attempt to quell the masses against the new director's poor choice in characters? SURE!~

Just to add fuel to the fire, Henrietta is now more or less brain dead and bland now that her lovers are dead. And nothing, let me repeat, NOTHING happens with the secondary and tertiary characters. Nothing what-so-ever. Their appearance is so rare, you get the feeling they're now only doing cameos just so that the viewers don't forget what they're supposed to be doing in the show.

What probably bugs me most of all is how the show could've done really, REALLY well. Even near the end, when the director decides to do something serious, he's good at it. You finally see Saito's issues with classes (castes, nobles, kings, honor. Not like school) and his relationship with Louise matures. I've been dredging on the second season just because I was hoping it'd get better. And it did. The last 4 episodes were good, until it ended. All the character development, and work on all the characters was completely trounced with his decision to return everything back to pre-development stage, WHICH SUCKS. I understand the use of that tactic. It's usually useful in wrapping up segments and giving that warm feeling of normality (not normalcy. Leave president speak to presidents while we speak english) and a sense of closure that nothing has happened. Unfortunately, that is definitely not the feeling I want. I don't want it to revert to retardation. I would've been so much happier had Louise showed some actual emotion over Saito and had Saito actually become a serious character.

To me, the second season looks like JC Staff were just milking the series. I hope to god the third season (confirmed by the way) doesn't suck so much.

On a lighter note: Gunslinger girl II: Teatrino is already on the waves (cables now I guess, no one uses antennas anymore) in Japan. I've yet to see the releases, but I'll probably get around to them soon.

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About Me

My fascination in anime, games and programming has always been very strong, but I think I crossed the line from devoted fan to Otaku when I couldn't help but buy a 1/6 ratio casual version of Saber from Fate/Hollow Ataraxia at a super low price of $35. Rather, an epiphany occurred and suddenly I no longer cared that I had always been a full-fledged Otaku.